Stevens Welcomes Class of 2016 at 142nd Convocation

With the fall semester underway,
new students took part in the annual Stevens tradition of Convocation,
held Sept. 5 in Canavan Arena and featuring speeches by Stevens
President Nariman Farvardin, U.S. Representative Rodney Frelinghuysen
from New Jersey's 11th district and Hoboken Mayor Dawn Zimmer.

Convocation
is a ceremony to officially welcome the Class of 2016 to the Stevens
community, mark the opening of the academic year, and distribute awards
to select faculty and students for standout academic, research and
extracurricular achievements.

The 142nd Convocation began with an
academic procession led by Farvardin, Faculty Marshall Ron Besser and
Provost George Korfiatis. After Michael Paulauski, Class of 2014, sang
the National Anthem, Farvardin took the stage to outline an array of
reasons the Stevens community should be excited about a bright future
ahead, including: the addition of the most academically talented and
diverse freshman class in Stevens history; a new graduate student cohort
which also exceeds all prior records; official rankings which place
Stevens among elite schools in return on investment and other
categories; a highly-successful fundraising year to support important
initiatives; and the completion of the 10-year Strategic Plan, which
charts a bold and ambitious course for Stevens over the next decade.

“You
are members of an elite group," Farvardin concluded. "You are the
stars, the ‘movers and the shakers.’ You are the innovators who will
change the world. You are members of the Stevens family.”

After
Farvardin’s speech, Congressman Frelinghuysen, a longtime supporter of
Stevens, delivered the keynote address. He spoke to students about how
they might be vastly different from their history-making predecessors at
Stevens – they watch their news on YouTube, think of Star Wars
as a film and not a defense strategy, have never seen an airplane
“ticket” and rarely carry cash – but they have the opportunity to play
an equally important role in our society’s future.

“This
institution’s academic success and modernization has spurred incredible
transformation on this side of the Hudson River,” said Congressman
Frelinghuysen.

“It’s clear to me that many outstanding men and
women have a Stevens foundation for life,” he added. “The men and women
who passed through these halls are highly intelligent. You’re no
exception. Much is expected of you.”

Next, Mayor Zimmer – who is
collaborating with Stevens to build Hoboken into a technology hub for
new enterprise – officially welcomed the class to their new hometown.
She praised Stevens students for their continuing involvement in
bettering the community, emphasizing their volunteerism during Hurricane
Irene in 2011 and contributions to improving infrastructure and
transportation in the city.

“This is a really exciting time to be
at Stevens and to be in Hoboken,” she said, encouraging students to get
involved in the community however they can.

Two students then took
the podium: Theodore Poppe, Class of 2013 and president of the Student
Government Association; and Dana Lyons, Class of 2013 and chairperson
of the Honor Board. Poppe urged students to make the most of their time
at Stevens, saying, “This is your home; it will only be as good as you
make it, and you will only get out what you put in.” Lyons inducted new
students into the Stevens Honor System, one of the school’s oldest
traditions.

The presentation of student and faculty awards by
Korfiatis, Dean of Student Life Ken Nilsen and Assistant Vice President
for Student Development Joe Stahley followed. Here is the full list of
this year’s awardees:

The Stevens' Scholarship for Service Program: Marcelo Acevedo and Benjamin Nkrumah

The President's Award for Community Involvement: Robert Truppner

The President’s Cup: Stevens Men’s Soccer

The
142nd Convocation ceremony concluded with the presentation of the class
banner to the Class of 2016 by Mark LaRosa ‘92, President of the
Stevens Alumni Association, and a performance of the Alma Mater led by
the Stevens Choir.